Scientists on the College of Aberdeen are growing know-how that they are saying will allow electrical energy generated by renewables to be ‘banked’ as inexperienced hydrogen in depleted oil and gasoline reservoirs alongside industrial carbon emissions.
The group says the analysis may play a key position in serving to Scotland obtain its internet zero ambitions and even develop into a internet exporter of hydrogen, whereas offering a brand new lease of life to depleted oil and gasoline reservoirs and aquifers, in addition to the pipeline and properly infrastructure surrounding them.
It may additionally cut back constraint funds made to windfarm operators to cease producing electrical energy when manufacturing is simply too excessive, by permitting the surplus electrical energy to be transformed to inexperienced hydrogen and saved to be used elsewhere. A latest impartial report back to the UK Authorities has highlighted points across the skill of the Nationwide Grid to deal with elevated energy technology as extra renewables initiatives come on stream, underlining the potential advantages of the present analysis in easing stress on the grid. Moreover, the Scottish Authorities-funded Hydrogen Spine Hyperlink mission has underlined the necessary position that hydrogen may play in Scotland’s ambitions to develop into a internet exporter of inexperienced vitality.
Dr Prashant Jadhawar from the College’s College of Engineering is main the initiatives which have obtained help from the Internet Zero Know-how Centre’s (NZTC) Internet Zero R&D Programme which is funded by the Scottish Authorities, Scottish Funding Council and Scottish Enterprise, and is backed by a variety of business companions together with a lot of UKCS North Sea Operators, Scottish Gasoline Community Plc, BatiGea Ltd., UK Elixir consultants Ltd., UK, and Circulation Experience Ltd., UK.
Dr Jadhawar will current his analysis on the Offshore Europe convention going down this week in Aberdeen, the place he’s presenting on the convention’s Technical Session on Hydrogen Challenges going down tomorrow (Thursday, 7 September) from 10am. He’ll then give an additional speak on the College of Aberdeen’s stand (2E68) at 1pm.
The primary section of those initiatives which is already underway makes use of a mixture of modelling, simulation and laboratory experimentation to judge the best technique of transporting hydrogen via the onshore and offshore North Sea pipeline community, with the purpose of growing digital instruments that may allow transportation to properties and companies.
Additionally it is investigating the co-storage of hydrogen and carbon dioxide in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs and aquifers, with CO2 performing as a ‘cushion’ gasoline. This method has by no means been tried earlier than however may very well be used to retailer blue hydrogen and the related CO2 at a big scale.
In the meantime, the second section will concentrate on subject trials and commercialisation via the potential formation of a spin-out firm to drive ahead the know-how.
Dr Jadhawar stated that the event of those applied sciences is a possible “game-changer” which may play a serious position in serving to Scotland meet its goal of 5GW of inexperienced and low-carbon hydrogen manufacturing (equal to a sixth of the nation’s vitality wants) by 2030.
“This goal depends on there being adequate hydrogen storage capability which solely subsurface geological formations comparable to depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs or aquifers can ship on such a big TeraWatt (TWh) scale,” he defined.
“By way of our present analysis we have now estimated as much as a 20 TWh hydrogen storage capability, in addition to the everlasting sequestration of fifty million tons (Mton) of CO2 in a single UKCS reservoir investigated to this point.
“By providing the secure and efficient storage of bulk portions of hydrogen and CO2, our mission presents a novel alternative to assist Scotland meet its hydrogen manufacturing targets in addition to providing the potential for Scotland to develop into a internet exporter of hydrogen.
“It is going to additionally assist prolong the lifetime of depleted oil and gasoline reservoirs and related infrastructure, serving to guarantee a continued and necessary position for the North Sea within the internet zero economic system.”
Ekua Osei, Mission Engineer at NZTC stated, “We’re excited to see innovation enjoying a key position in enabling and enhancing Scotland’s hydrogen manufacturing, storage and export functionality. This mission may evolve present practices and permit electrical energy from wind farms to be saved relatively than manufacturing being halted.
“As we transition from a legacy vitality supply to new vectors and extra sustainable sources, it’s necessary that we achieve this in an environmentally acutely aware means, while reusing and repurposing the prevailing transportation pipelines and reservoirs. These initiatives on the College of Aberdeen align with this.”
